The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1887-10-30
THE KING. OF CONIAKERS
Release of Pete Mccartney from a Fiji
teen Years Term of Imprisonment.
He Is Met at the Prison Gates and Taken
Into Custody ny Deputy Marshal for
Trial on an Old Charge.

Yesterday morning tho fifteen years term in
the Michigan City prison of Pete Me Cartney'
the famous counterfeiter, came to a close. AS
he emerged from the gates of the prison he was
met by Deputy United States Marshal Stein.
who at arrested him on indictments
found against him twenty years ago in the south
ern district of Illinois. He was brought to this
city yesterday afternoon, and last night was
started for Springfield in custody of deputy
Stein. He has not served the full period OF if
teen years. tho time allowed him for good be-
havor having decreased his service nearly four
years. He sentenced in November, 1876.
He looks in much better health now than he did
whom he was sent up, though he has aged very
noticeably. His hair, which then black,
is now quite gray At that time
he was suffering from lung trouble
and was haeeard and emaciated. Now his face
is full and his color good. but his voice is hoarse
and he appears to have a severe cold He says
he hsd an attack Of "pleurisy of the heart"
about Eve weeks ago. and is partially para
lyzed.
Pete Mccartney is ono of tho most celebrated
counterfeters ever known in the United States.
He has produced. without exception. the best
plates and the best money of any OF the
coniakers. His fves tens twenties. and ffties,
nave Ill paSSeu UauAlns uouooo AIoCiSs anu oANou
passed United States repositories. His counter
felt bonds also were marvels of perfection. He
has repeatedly been arrested. and every time
has escaped until he was sent up from Indian
apolis. 1t is commonly believed that his es-
capes were due to his putting up" freely to the
officers in charge of him. and Peter encourages
the belief. He says that the only two honest
men in the secret service under the old admin
istration, aside from the Chiefs were Rath bone
and Tom Lawrence. The remainder he desig-
mates as a set of internal scoundrels
The offense for which Mccartney was sent
north was committed at Richmond. in the sum-
mer of 1876. He had been there for some weeks
when one day he was arrested by City Marshal
Shower for passing counterfeit 500 bill Shower
took him to his Office, and there Mccartney pro-
duced So 800 IN good money and offered it to
him if he would let him GO. Shower was honest
and declined a.,; They went down stairs
table. and when they returned
there was only 81 200 left Mccartney after
wards sued Shower for the missing $lloo 1t
was soon discovered that counterfeit twenties
were oil over Richmond. They had been taken
at the banks without question. A telegram was
sent to Secret Service Officer Rathbone OF this
city, who went at once to Richmond and recog-
nized the prisoner as the celebrated Mccartney,
who had baffed the officials so long. The ut
most precautions were taken for keep
under strong guard and kept here in the post
Office building until sentenced There were sew
eral counts against him, but all but one were
nollied in consideration of his pleading guilty
and surrendering certain plates. He was ac-
companied to the northern prison by guard OF
seven Since he has been there he has
made two attempts to escape, one of which was
nearly successful He was sentenced and i'm
prisoned under the name of Charles Lang.
The Indictment under which he is now ar
rested was returned on Jan. IL, 1867. 1t charges
him with HAVING his DogSeSSlOn various
counterfeit treasury notes and bonds with in
tent to defraud. He says that he tried repeat
edly to get trial on this indictment. but never
succeeded. He claims that at the time he was
working under the direction of the chief OF the
Secret-service Department.. and was released
by him. The counterfeits and apparatus
gathering to return to the government
to secure the pardon of Mrs. Wilson then I'M
with the United States officers During his i'm
prisonment his wife ran away with his family
physician and Pete says the doctor robbed her
of at least 81 600 that she derived from the sale
of a farm He is very bitter towards both
of them, and says he and the woman have sepa-
rated forever He has three daughters. all liv-
ing near Willow Run, Ill He says he is fifty
eight years old, but the authorities have him re-
corded 1T sixty nine.
When asked how he GOT into the counterfeit
ing business. he said that when he was arrested,
with fifteen others. some of this city, in 1862,
he ESCAPED at Parkersburg while being taken to
Washington. and made his way to Illinois
Inc charge against MIN was oeIrauulng
the governments in the sale of horses.
He was obliged to keep in hiding. and
while thus living he fell in with gang of coun-
terfeiters who were working on the greenbacks
then just issued. He knew nothing of plate
making then but says that in Blk months he
could make q better plate than any of them.
He claims to have abandoned all inten-
ton of wrong-doing in the future. fur
Their than to enter the lecture field. where he
thinks he could give much useful information
to the people. It is believed that he has large
80 had lad
various places. but that is mere guess work